Paranormal Love
by MaximumAlchemist
Summary: A girl, a dare, an old tomb. Two parallel worlds, two parallel lovers, in which they could never be together.
1. The Dare

**Hello, everybody! I'm going to start on a new story—don't worry, 'No, It's Love' will still be continued, but I got inspiration for this from reading about haunted places!**

**Yay! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist**

**ON WITH THE STORY!**

A cold gust of wind blew throughout the dark streets of East City. The dim street lights cast an eerie glow on the deserted streets, illuminating the shadowy allies of the city.

I shivered; feeling as if someone had just poured ice down my throat.

I walked briskly down the road, picking up pace.

_Oh why, oh why? Why did I have to get stuck in this mess? Oh Nyx, why? _I thought, digging my fingers into my palms with anticipation and dread.

_A few hours back…_

"_Yes!" Sabrina punched the air. "I won!"_

_A small group of people were clustered around, grinning widely. _

_Sabrina smiled smugly. "Now then, you better not break your promise!" she announced, waggling her finger in front of my face._

_I groaned. Sabrina was nice, but she was the most devious Goth in Cherrygrove High, and maybe even the whole world. The. Whole. Freaking. World. _

_And she was serious with promises. You make a promise with her—big or small—break it, and next thing you know, you'll be in six feet in the ground. _

_Or to say, dead._

_Sabrina tapped her chin thoughtfully. Her nails were glossy black and red, alternating between the two colors. _

_She clapped her hands together. "I know! I have the perfect one!" she exclaimed happily. _

_I started to get nervous. Whatever she came up with, it wasn't good. _

_Right away, I knew that I shouldn't have gone along with her bet. Now it was too late._

"_The punishment you have to serve is…to kiss Brandon!"_

_The entire crowd went 'Oooh…' and I couldn't blame them._

_Brandon was the most disgusting boy in all of Cherrygrove High. He would pick his nose, eat the mucus, or do something else with them. He was loud, obnoxious, and had like, zero IQ. Rumor has it that he threw the toilet paper that he'd use to wipe the result of his 'business' all over the boys bathroom. _

_Like, ew, right?_

_Right away, I shook my head no. "Nu-uh. No, nicht, nada, natto, never," I said. "Anything but that."_

_Sabrina pouted, her lips the color of a new fire engine. "Come on, Nyx. You know you have to." She batted her mascara-covered eyelashes playfully._

"_No." I didn't care if she killed me, but no way was I going near that boy. _

_Sabrina reconsidered, then decided to take pity on me. "Fine," she said. She thought for a little more, then the most devious grin I've ever seen played its way across her face. _

"_I've decided. Here is your new task…" she said dramatically. _

_She smirked, and after what seemed like an eternity…_

"_Is to touch the tombstone in Ivy Chateau tonight."_

_Present Time_

My heart sank all the way down to my tennis shoes. Well, you may be all like, '_Wow, Nyx, that isn't hard at all. Just poke it and leave. Simple, right?"_

No.

Ivy Chateau was an old mansion that sat on the hill just on the outskirts of East City. The mansion itself was impressive—the interior was amazing. But there was a murder there, and there had been no suspect of whom the killer was. There was not one living life inside of the manor, but deep inside of it was an old tombstone, a grave where the victim of the murder laid to rest.

There had been many, many rumors about that place, all of them different, but all of them came down to one thing.

That that place was haunted.

My stomach twisted as I approached the hill. The moon was high, and the well-worn mansion cast an unnerving shadow across the ground.

I wanted to run. Turn on my heels and escape. But I swallowed, hard, and pushed the great oak doors of Ivy Chateau open.


	2. Lost Forever

**HIYA, GUYS! **

**Okay, I'm not that cheery. Personally, I'm stressed out right now. Orchestra regionals were yesterday, and I didn't stay to see the results, so basically I'm waiting out to get to school to find out. I had to go to a concert, so I left early. (BTW, Lang Lang is the like, the best pianist. EVAR.) **

**Well, chappie two is here! Enjoy. **

**ON WITH THE STORY!**

_Previously…_

_But I swallowed, hard, and pushed the great oak doors of Ivy Chateau open._

The door creaked open, dust falling like snow. It was that old.

I stepped in quietly, brushing stray cobwebs away. I tucked a stray strand of hair away and peered both directions. Nothing. No sounds, no movement, no life.

The silence went on for miles.

There was no light, except for the faint moonlight streaming through the dust-filled windows, some broken, glass scattered on the floor.

Old furniture—couches, vases, tables, mirrors—all were covered with filth. Spider webs were woven in clumps, bits of dead bug parts clung to the threads.

Paintings hung loosely on the walls, the canvases peeling off. The scary thing was, the portraits of humans—their eyes seemed to follow me, making my skin crawl.

I felt something cold on the back on my neck, like intense eyes boring into me. It wasn't the paintings.

I whirled around, but there was nothing behind me.

I started running, unsure of where I was going. I took a sharp left, picking up speed. All I wanted was to finish the job and get out.

Some of the doors were left open, some closed. I didn't know where my legs were taking me—my heart was the one telling them where to go.

_Left, straight, right, left, straight, _my heart thought, instructions beating in time to my core.

At last, I arrived at a single door—it didn't look anything different, but when I tried the handle, it was locked.

I twisted the knob again, but it still didn't budge.

_Three times the charm, _I thought silently.

Three times the death.

I twisted the knob once more, and it unhinged. It swung open, what I saw was nothing.

Darkness reached out, grasping me, coaxing me to come forth and be lost forever.

I instinctively stepped back, but there was nothing.

I was surrounded in a sea of black.

The edge of the tiny platform I was stranded on was crumbling. It was withering bit by bit, the crumbs falling into nothingness.

I desperately tried to balance myself and stay alive for even one more minute, or even one more second.

Too late.

The floor gave away, and I tumbled downwards, getting lost in the blackness forever.


	3. Who are YOU?

Light flooded into my vision as soon as my eyelids fluttered open.

"What on earth…?" I groaned as I sat up, and a sharp stab of pain in my back. "Ow!"

I must've landed pretty hard on my back, but thankfully that it didn't break. It might've been badly bruised, but I could stand.

Once my head stopped pounded, I scanned my surroundings. My feet were on solid ground. Marble, I think. Trees sprouted up from the ground and I heard the faint chirping of birds. Water cascaded down the sides of elegant fountains with elaborate designs. Flowers grew in colorful clumps in flowerbeds, the grass neatly mowed and trimmed.

In the midst of the impossible underground garden sat an old tombstone. Ivy snaked down its sides, some of it chipped off and cracked.

I sucked in a sharp breath.

"This is it," I muttered. I approached it slowly as if it was going to jump up and attack me.

The tomb, a rusty gray color, stood tall and proud as if honored to be the final mark of the person's name that it bore.

As I inched towards it, I could see words engraved on the surface:

_Möge deine Seele in Frieden ruhen in jedermanns Herzen_

_Edward Elric_

_1922 – 1940 _

_Beloved brother and friend_

Was that…German? I thought as I stood before the headstone. Holding out my hand, my fingers trembled as I reached out to touch the grave.

My fingertips just met the surface when a voice said, "I wouldn't do that."

I whirled around.

Standing, half-concealed behind a large tree, a boy, about eighteen or so, his hands protruding out of his pockets.

He had golden hair, tied back in a neat braid with bangs framing his face. His body was pretty short for an eighteen year-old, but fit and lean with somewhat of a tan. His eyes were a molten gold color, like miniature suns.

"I wouldn't do that," he said again, this time with a chilly, insistent tone.

"Who're you?" I demanded. "Where did you come from? Why didn't I see you? How long have you been here?" I was firing questions faster than bullets shot from a gun. His sudden appearance seemed to have aroused my interest and suspicions.

His cold eyes bore into me. "It does not matter who I am," he said. "What are you doing here?"

I snorted. "I could ask you the same thing. What are _you _doing here?"

If it offended him, he didn't how any emotions. "I live here," he said simply. "This is my home."

He stepped out of the shadows of the trees, and I saw him and his features more clearly—he had scars. A large gash—like bite marks, embroided his arm, right below the shoulder. His arms were covered in more notable ones, and a tiny mark was above his left eye.

"Who _are _you?" I asked in an attempt of a gentler voice. It came out as an arduous tone.

He glared at me pointedly. "Why should reveal my identity to an intruder who has barged in, unwelcomed?"

I scowled. "Why do you talk so much like an old man?"

The boy rolled his eyes. "For Truth's sake! Do you have eyes or not? If you went up close to that grave, you would at _least _see some words! Or are you mentally disabled? Or perhaps retarded?"

"Huh?" I turned back to the old tomb and reread the words. I read them a third time, and then it dawned on me.

"Y-you're…Edward Elric?" I asked, turning back to him. "You're…_him?" _

He snorted. "It would appear so."

I huffed indignantly and crossed my arms. "Well, _excuuuse _me, Prince Charming, for not knowing who you were at first glance! It appeared to me as you were a lost soul of some sort that was wandering aimlessly in this wonderland—" I waved my hands around, gesturing around the place, "of a cemetery."

It hadn't occurred to me that Edward would reappear as a young, teenaged boy. I'd always thought that you lived a life after you died—an afterlife. I'd thought, as you lived past death, you'd age, just like you would if you were living.

He raised an eyebrow, as if he was expecting something else in return. "What?" I asked.

"Name," he said. "I gave you mine. I want something in return. I'm asking for your name. Equivalent Exchange, Law of Providence, no?"

I bit my lip. Alchemists usually followed this rule—one cannot simply gain without something equivalent in return.

"Fine," I snapped. "Nyx. Nyx Hawthorne. Happy?"

"Is Happy your last name? Or is it Hawthorne?"

"Hawthorne! Hawthorne is my last name!"

"Okay, okay, I get it! Sheesh, can't even crack a joke…"

"It wasn't a very good one."

Edward shook his head, obviously disappointed. "Where is all the humor in you kids these days?"

"Gone," I said stubbornly.

"With the wind?"

I cracked a smile, and so did he. "Maybe you're not so bad after all," I said, tapping my chin curiously. "Maybe."

"Hey!" he protested. "What's with the 'maybe'?"

"Funny. You decided to talk normally."

"Ah, geez," he said, scratching the back of his head. "You got me. It was a pain playing old-fashioned."

I gave him a triumphant smirk. "What can I say? I'm great at these things."

He laughed. "I guess."

Leaning back against the trunk of a tree, he pointed at the ceiling. "Isn't it nice here? Free from the world and everything."

I looked up and saw the blue, blue sky, clearly for the first time of my life. The streets and skies of East City have always been tarnished with trash and pollution. In fact, as I stared at the vast cerulean color of the ceiling, I wondered if it was actually real or just a painting.

"Oh, it depends on how you view it," Edward said, still staring at the sky. "It could be an illusion—a trick of mind, fueled by nostalgia, but it's really up to you. Do you believe that the sky is actually there?"

The azure color melted into a deep cobalt color, and trillions and septillions of stars blazed above head.

My breath was caught in my throat. "Wow—"

I had never seen so many so many stars before. The gray clouds of the night always sealed the city in, and you could barely see the moon. Stars were out of the question.

"I don't care if this isn't real or whatever. It's beautiful," I breathed out. The moon winked at me from behind the glowing orbs.

"That, too, is an acceptable answer," Edward said. "There's so much that even I can't tell which constellation is which."

I glanced down at my watch and yelped. Four thirty-nine AM.

"Holy crap! I gotta go," I said hurriedly. "Um—which way is the exit?"

"What? There isn't one," Ed answered bluntly.

"_What?" _

"There isn't an exit."

"But—but—how?" I sputtered, gesturing around at the garden. "How did this grave appear here?! All these trees and flowers and plants?!"

"Ah. Good point." He waved his hands as if a rainbow would appear in his palms. "_Magic."_

I started to panic. "Stop screwing around!" I cried. "I have to go! NOW!"

"But if you went, you'd leave me all alone here! Boo hoo hoo! You know how many years, how many decades I've waited for somebody to talk to?" Edward pouted childishly.

"Yes, yes, I'm well aware of that," I lied while I racked my brains on how to get out. The hole I fell through? It made me feel like Alice. Alice who fell through the rabbit hole and didn't have anything to help her out—no potion to make her smaller, no cake to make her bigger, much less a key to a door. Her only company was a dead Mad Hatter.

I sighed in defeat. Knowing that there was no way out, I formed a deal.

"Hey, can we compromise?"

He looked at me with those golden eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Let's make a deal."

He paused. "What kind?" he asked suspiciously.

I looked around. "How about I visit you every weekend? In exchange, you tell me the exit."

Edward pondered about this. "Alright…" he said reluctantly. "But you've got to keep your end of the promise!"

I exhaled in relief. "Thanks!" I said. "Now about that exit…"

He looked unwillingly at the great oak tree that stood in the center. "There," he said slowly, "is the exit."

He pointed at it and the bark melted away, revealing a dark corridor. "Go through there and you'll find your way out."

I tried to ignore the way his eyes followed me as I ran towards the tree, but I couldn't resist glancing back. A chilly breeze blew past me as I looked over my shoulder, but he was gone.

With the wind?


	4. Family of Three

I was dropped off at the entrance.

"OW!"

I landed with a hard thud on the ground, like when I had fell into the underground garden. "That prick! Should've designed the landing more comfortable…but, nevertheless, I got out…"

I pushed the great double doors open and moonlight streamed in, blasting me right in the face. I squinted into the dark, chilly night, illuminated by the bright glow of the moon. Stepping out of the old mansion, I inhaled deeply, smelling the fresh autumn air of the hill, tainted faintly by the pollution of the city.

I shut the door as quietly as I could, and it closed with a dull _thud. _I shivered. I had the feeling that somebody was watching me, again, even though I was out of the manor.

_It's nobody, _I reminded myself. _Nobody would be out this late at night near this creepy building. _

I looked around, double-checking that no one was there. I found myself alone.

I exhaled, relieved. "Thank goodness," I said out loud to no one in particular.

I started down the path that led to the empty streets, walking rather hurriedly, looking both ways nervously. My heart was working an overdrive. Twice, I could've sworn that I saw movement in the thick, overgrown bushes. Must've been the wind.

I tugged my jacket higher, as it was drooping off my shoulders slightly. _Well, at least Sabrina won't murder me, since I did it, _I thought reassuringly. _I would like to have accomplished something before I die in a horrible, gruesome death. _

Something rustled, and I jumped, swiveling my head to look for the source of the sound. My eyes scanned my surroundings alertly.

I sighed, but then, imagination or not, I saw a glimmer of golden hair disappear behind a thick tree trunk.

My breathing pitched slightly as I turned and tore down the road, faster than the passerby Ferrari.

* * *

I slowed to a fast walk when I reached Main Street, panting heavily. The wind picked up around me, blowing pieces of debris and garbage around, arousing the foul smell of the air.

I headed off towards the direction of Minato Ward, towards my home, dragging my feet warily.

I opened the door of our rented apartment room. "I'm home," I called in a monotone voice.

Nobody answered me.

I sighed and went for my room. Passing by the living room, I heard the TV tuned to some ridiculous soap opera. Dad was sitting on the floor, drunken yet again. He was sipping from a bottle of strong whiskey, numerous bottles clanking around him. I knew all this without looking up from my feet, since this was a daily routine for him.

"Fish is good, may the Buddha laugh today, the jolly old man, ah ha, ha, ha…" he sang in a slurred voice. His face must've been, no, it was a bright shade of pink, and his eyes were dull with no life in them. He waved his bottle around noisily, spilling the drink all over himself.

I covered my nose with my sleeve. Was it just me, or was did that whiskey smell worse than ever?

I hurried to my room and slammed the door shut behind me.

Dad has been like this ever since he and mom divorced. He was pretty unstable then, too, but now he was drinking, unable to control himself to stop. He also did drugs, but I found out a month ago and threw his entire stash away. I couldn't stand to see my father like this, even he was just that bastard who sat around and did nothing.

After he and mom broke up, he was paranoid. Insane. Off his rocker. He would lock himself up, drinking, smoking, drugging himself until his brain was eaten away to nothing.

One day, the police barged into our home, demanding that he put his hands up. I was only eight then. I hid behind my bedroom door, staring wide-eyed as the scene played itself in front of me.

Dad started shouting, waving his hands around in a frenzy, spewing out nonsense. He had no brain, and the light in the eyes showed no humanity—just a wild, cornered beast. He grabbed a broken bottle of wine and swung it around hitting one officer, knocking him unconscious. Blood started to flow from his forehead.

The other two officers grabbed both of his arms and jabbed a stun gun sharply into his side. Dad had this violent spasm and bit the officer on his right. The police yelped as his hand suddenly was covered in blood.

I, being the little coward I was, trembled behind the door, unable to move an inch. As soon as the officer let go of my dad's arms, dad twisted his other, wrenching it out of the other police's grip. He disappeared into the kitchen and came back, two seconds later, carrying a sharp cutting knife.

The officer stumbled backwards into his companion, whipping out his gun. "H-hands up!" he ordered, his voice wavering.

Dad apparently didn't hear, or if he did, his brain just couldn't comprehend what he just heard. He screamed, yelling out nonsense about God and Satan and how he would achieve heaven and that all that opposed him would burn in Hell, and how he was God. He swung his knife around in a crazed manner, destroying everything in his wide arc's range.

The officers tripped over each other's feet as they scrambled to the door frantically. I couldn't blame them. It was scary, watching my father lose control over himself like that.

The two disappeared into the afternoon light, leaving only their empty existences behind, and the floor was replaced with a cherry-red carpet that my dad bought with a knife.

I numbly closed the door, wisely not making a sound.

I sat there and cried the whole day.

* * *

I shook my head, brushing the horrid memory aside. I did _not _want to remember what had happened on that day. But the scene kept replaying itself in my head.

Later that day, I had learned that my father was arrested and put on trial for murdering two policemen. He pleaded that he was not guilty, and it was insanity that allowed him to do away with his sins.

He was also accused of murdering mom.

Her body was found in a garbage dump, rotting away. Her skull was split, and judging from the blood flow and dead tissues, she had been dead for a while. Her body was horribly mutated. Her internal systems were gone, and her brain was torn from its roots and tossed into a bag along with her heart. The bag also contained a note, and it read: _"I love you."_

Gross, right? Not only had she been carved like a human doll, the person also said that they _loved _her. What kind of sane person would do that?

No, the guy _had _to be insane.

Alas, the court couldn't really provide any evidence or her death, so they went a bit easy on him. He spent four years in prison for murdering the officers.

He returned home two years ago, demanding for money and alcohol. He threatened to carve us all up like mom if we disobeyed his direct orders, and of course, my two brothers and I obeyed. We were scared shitless at the time.

Now dad isn't really a big problem anymore—he can't even think properly anymore, much less sober enough to hold a knife and stab us to death.

My two older bros, Icarus and Chrysis, both hold low-paying jobs and both worked double-shifts, always coming home well past midnight. I felt guilty for the both of them, stuck working their butts off just to support the three of us and our dad, the drunken moocher.

I tried to help them out, by preparing the bath or cooking a warm meal for them so they could eat up and wash out the weariness from a hard day's of work. Once, when I was twelve, I begged them to let me go to work with them. I wanted to help, to do anything to help lighten the burden that they carried on their shoulders, but they simply just laughed and ruffled my hair. "Someday, you'll be working in your own private office, full of luxury and happiness. There's no need for you to suffer like this too."

Well, I tried out for jobs—like a cashier, or a waitress. But every time soon after I got a job, I'd get fired. Maybe it was the way I dressed, or my sharp tongue, or my attitude, or the way I slouched, I could never hold a job.

Icarus was seventeen, and Chrysis was three months older than him. I was sixteen. Together, we lived under the same roof, through ran, sun, fights, tears, laughter, silence—everything.

We've been siblings, looking out for each other. Always.

I was lost among my thoughts when the front door opened. I jumped off my bed and ran out the bedroom.

Icarus was standing in the doorway, running a tired hand through his chocolate hair. He had dark bags under his azure eyes.

"Hi, Nyx. What're you doing up so early?" he asked in a tired voice. He gave me a small smile.

"Oh! Um…couldn't sleep. I went out for a walk," I said sheepishly. It wasn't really a lie, but what could I tell him? I went out into the old mansion on the hill on the outskirts of town and fell through a hole and met this really weird dude that was supposedly died a million years ago and invited me to tea every Saturday?

No. He'd think I was high or something.

He frowned. "It's not safe to go out onto the streets at this hour. You might run into crazy people who give candy to little kids."

I rolled my eyes. That was his way of saying, "_There are rapists and murderers out there like our father."_

"Please, Icarus. I'm not a little kid anymore. You can relax," I said, rolling my eyes slightly.

He snorted. "I can relax when hell freezes over," he scoffed.

I stuck my tongue out at him. "You're such a worrier. Please do calm the fu—"

"Language," he warned.

I sighed. "I'll make you dinner. What do you want to eat?"

Icarus shook his head. "Sorry, I won't be eating tonight. I'm really tired—I'll just go take a shower and go sleep. I've got to get up early for a meeting."

I stared at his retreating figure. That was really strange. He'd usually gobble down any kind of food he got his hands on. He was actually that tired to the point that he refused food? That was a first.

I instantly felt a pang of guilt. I really felt hopeless. If I could earn our family a little money—even one yen—it felt like it would help my brothers a lot.

No, I was _sure _that it would.

Soon, after Icarus went into the bathroom, Chrysis came home.

He looked like he was about to collapse any second. He was horribly thin. He never stopped for breakfast in the morning, just grabbing energy pudding on his way out. He must've consumed at least eight of those a day.

"Hey, Nyx," he muttered. "Sorry, I'm going to bed…"

He wandered off down the hall.

I stared after him as well. Seriously?

"Wait!" I called after him, but he had already disappeared in his shared bedroom.

I sighed at those two. They really shouldn't push themselves too hard. After all, almost half of the money went into our dad's drinking expenses. Forced, of course.

"O say can you see the by the dawn's—"

"SHUT UP!" I screamed, pounding the kitchen counter angrily. The silverware and cutting utensils rattled noisily.

Of course, dad was too drunk to hear my words, and he kept on warbling the Star Spangled Banner.

I took deep breaths and forced myself to count to ten. _One…two…three…_

"And the rocket's red glare…"

I felt my eye twitch irritably. _Make that one hundred! Six…seven…eight…_

"O'er the land of the—"

Something inside me snapped. "SHUT UP, YOU DRUNKEN GOOD-FOR-NOTHING BASTARD OF A FATHER!" I shrieked. "JUST SHUT UP!"

I covered my ears and shook my head, muffling out his words. I forced down tears as they stung my eyes, threatening to fall.

"Nyx? What's wrong?" Icarus peeked out of the bathroom door, water still dripping from his hair.

I immediately regretted shouting. "It's nothing, Icarus. Please, leave me alone for now."

He frowned. "Nyx, what's—"

"JUST SHUT UP!" I yelled again.

He faltered.

I bit my lip, shocked at my sudden outburst at him. "S-sorry. Please. Leave me be."

He retreated back into the bathroom and I trudged back into my bedroom, closing the door to the sounds of my father's private solo.


	5. Wondering

I sat at my desk, my face cupped in one hand. It was twelve forty-five PM, lunch time. Sabrina would be skipping into the classroom any minute now and immediately begin interrogating me.

Sabrina was a good friend. She was popular, _loved _to talk (gossip, mostly), had good fashion sense, and made boys swoon whenever she walked past. She was the queen of tenth grade, envied by others, loved by many. Her aura was irresistible, as it was dark and captivating, along with her preferred choice of colors—red and black. She's been through countless boyfriends, but she never seemed to have a permanent partner. She'd lose interest pretty quickly, she'd told me before.

Sabrina wasn't a _bad _person; it's just that she rushed her relationships too quickly.

And speak of the devil; there she was, wearing her trademark Cheshire cat smile.

"There she is, there she is!" she said excitedly, skipping happily towards me. "Heeelllooo, Nyx!"

"Hi, Sab," I replied, looking up at her. Her curly bangs framed her smiling face, her green eyes gleaming mischievously.

Her grin widened as she leaned in further. "So…about last night…"

I swallowed. _Here it comes. _

"I did it," I answered coolly.

She raised an eyebrow. "Nyx, honey, I'm pretty sure—"

"I'm not lying," I intercepted. Sabrina wasn't the gullible one; you have to give her the _details. _

If you know what I mean.

"I touched it. The tombstone."

Then I started to rattle off what happened. I couldn't help it. I could no longer keep it in me. I was _dying _to get it off my chest.

I told her about the tomb and how it was in the middle of the mansion. I hesitated when I came to the part about the underground garden and Edward, and decided to alter the location of the grave. I told her that it was in a dark, underground cellar with rats and itsy-bitsy spiders and overgrown mushrooms. I told her that the tomb emitted an evil aura, giving it a chilly presence. I told her that I met a one-eyed skeleton that carried four knives. I described my conversation between it, and how it grudgingly let me go, as I was going to become its first warm meal in a long time.

Sabrina nodded and listened to all of it, her grin unwavering. I tried to add as much detail as possible into it, trying to make it sound true and convincing.

When I was done, she thought for a moment, and said, "I see. And…how did you get out?"

I told her that a gate melted out of the shadows when the skeleton left and unlocked itself. I went through it and found myself back outside on Main Street.

Sabrina was quiet for a moment, analyzing all the data she squeezed out of me. I held my breath. Would my story worm me out of this one?

To my dismay, she burst out into a laughing fit. "BWUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" she snorted in such a un-Sabrina way that the remaining people in the room turned their heads to see what was wrong.

"Ahahahahahaha!" She giggled profusely. "I—I'm sorry, N-N-Nyx, but that's j-just too g-g-g-good to be t-true!" Hiccupping twice, she wiped the tears away from the corner of her eyes, hugging her stomach. "Sorry, Nyx, but I don't buy it."

My heart sank. I figured that she wouldn't, but part of me still hoped that she would. Maybe my voice wavered too much, or I spoke too softly.

Sabrina shook her head. "I'm afraid that you'd have to do it again. And try to be a _little _more honest this time, okay?"

She patted my head and left the classroom.

_Crap, I have to visit Edward this weekend. Oh well, it goes either way._

* * *

Edward hummed a severely out-of-tune melody happily. He was finally having company! Although it wasn't Al, Winry, Riza, Colonel-Fuhrer "Bastard" Roy, or any of the military guys…but, no matter. Company was company.

Speaking of company, the girl was a weird one. She had an unnatural aura about her, as if she was radioactive. Nyx—was it? Strange choice of a name as well. The biggest mystery that clouded her and deluded him was _how on earth did she get into the underground garden? _Normal humans wouldn't have been able to reach him, as the garden was sealed in with a thick, impenetrable barrier that was invisible to all, even him. No one could get in or out, except him.

And Nyx, apparently.

Dammit, Truth, why? He was supposed to be a fucking alchemist, a scientist! This had no possible explanation that would sound humane to anyone _or _anything.

Slightly agitated, he ran a hand through his hair, trying to theorize this abnormality. He'd been here for decades, and no explanation he came up with sounded reasonable. This wasn't something you'd find in a textbook, it was surreal. Paranormal, you might say.

He'd visit Al and Winry on some occasions, walking or riding on the tops of trains. They'd be busy—Winry managing a successful automail shop in Central and Al running errands for the new Fuhrer, Roy Mustang.

But that was years ago. Now they were old and withered, but that was their physical appearance. Their eyes still shone with the brilliance of youth, fiery and filled with passion. That was what they were like whenever Edward dropped by for visits.

The surface world was now strange place. It was modernized. It was busy. Sprawling. Different.

It was replaced with science—things could now be proved with solid, sturdy laws and rules. Alchemy was obsolete, forgotten. It appalled Edward how humans could just adopt something so quickly and forget the past. They were moving forward at such a quick pace that it scared him.

Scared, he thought, shaking his head. Scared. About what? For what?

As much as he was different from the others now, he was once human, too. A human who couldn't even save a girl and her dog from being turned into a Chimera.

He laid in the grass, staring at the sky and trees. It was also strange, that there could be life here—no natural light, no fertile soil. Unless these forms of life were…?

He frowned and plucked a blade a grass between his thumb and index finger, rolling it around. It certainly _felt _real, but he still wasn't quite sure. He didn't have a microscope to look into the cells of these plants, and he certainly couldn't see it with the naked eye.

He wondered what time was and when it would be Saturday. Nyx would be coming to visit him, right? He speculated the possibility of whether she would remember her promise. Humans could be so aloof nowadays, forgetting both insignificant and important things. Or sometimes, they'd remember the unimportant and forget the significant. Or they would remember only the important and forget the unimportant. Or, on occasions, they would simply remember both.

Edward chuckled. Strange things, humans. But they weren't all bad. Everyone was different.

And you'd just have to accept that fact.

He smiled. He wondered what was new in the world above.

And with that, he left his cage to see for himself.


	6. Life Lessons

Edward wandered the streets lackadaisically, his hands shoved deep into his pockets.

Nothing's really changed, in the short interval of time given—last night and this afternoon. The construction of a new café across the street was dragging. They haven't laid so much of a single brick since last week.

However, Edward knew that things like this had to be given time. They would grow eventually. He had seen so many changes in East City in the past decades.

Knowing this, he smiled sadly, nostalgic for the good old days. Things change, he told himself over and over. People change.

He continued to saunter into the bustling city and found himself in a large, lively shopping district. Large mobs of people came in waves, chatting incessantly. He'd come across one or two homeless people, sitting around. Edward felt a twinge of pity for them, but none of them seem particularly remorseful today. In fact, everyone seemed to be enjoying the day, indulging themselves in their modern lives.

"Hey! I _told _you that I don't need charms to ward off any weird spirits! Please—let me go!"

Edward spun around at the sound of the voice. It was distinct, standing out in a sea of sounds, like white among black.

He saw the familiar figure of Nyx. This time, she was being dragged around by a girl with curly black hair, makeup overload, and shiny, cherry-colored fingernails. They were both wearing school uniforms—skirts that were way too short and white shirts adorned with red ties.

"Come on, it'll be fun! And we'll pick out some cute clothes for you. Try and seduce that "skeleton" guy, hmm?"

I watched, amused, as Nyx wrenched her hand out of the other girl's grip. "Ew! Do you know how disgusting that sounds?! And you know I absolutely _hate _shopping! Get it together, Sabrina!"

She crossed her arms in front of her chest, her posture like a boy's. "You are _not _going to force me into some maid outfit. Forget it."

She huffed and stomped away, but Sabrina grabbed her arm back and clicked her tongue disapprovingly. "Nu-uh. While you're on this mission, you're also under my command. Now, let's go!" she said triumphantly and pointed to the entrance of a large mall.

"Let—go! I don't have enough money to go shopping!" Nyx snapped and pulled away.

"Don't worry, don't worry!" Sabrina said playfully, swatting at the shorter of the two. "I'll pay for you! And I'll buy lunch."

"No, thanks," Nyx said flatly, turning her head to watch a couple of boys ride their skateboards across the pavement. She caught Edward's eye, and he flinched. He ran behind a large tree, hoping that she hadn't really seen him amongst the sea of people.

"Wait here, Sabrina," she said slowly. "I forgot that I had something to do at Ben and Jerry's."

Without waiting for an answer, she stalked over towards the tree, hands clenched at her side.

* * *

Nyx looked around the tree, and Edward ducked around it. The two played hide-and-seek around the trunk for a while until she went the other way around and ran into Edward.

Well, technically, she wouldn't call it _running _into. When she got within six inches of him, she immediately felt something repulse her back, burning through her cloths.

"OW!" she and Edward yelled at the same time. Then they stared at each other in disbelief. "What did you do?!" she demanded. "More importantly, what are you doing out here?! It's not even Friday night!"

"I—I don't know!" Edward countered. "And can't a dead person enjoy a fresh breath of air once in a while?"

Nyx gaped at him. "Are you crazy? What if someone saw you?"

Ed shook his head. "I'm dead. Nobody can see me. Except for you," he added, looking into her azure eyes. He frowned. "That's funny. Whenever I'm out, I usually just walk right through people. But why did you and me…"

"Because walking through people is rude. And I don't tolerate rudeness," Nyx said jokingly.

"No, seriously. Why…?"

"No idea." Nyx plopped down on a nearby bench, crossing her legs. "Where's Sab? I guess she went on ahead…no matter. I'll catch up later."

Edward took a seat next to her, careful to keep a foot's distance between them. "You're kinda strange. You're…different."

"Thanks a lot. You and your compliments make my day," she retorted sarcastically, looking at the mass of people passing back and forth, avoiding his gaze.

"Hey, I meant that in a good way!" he protested, waving his hands in front of him frantically as if she was going to attack him.

"Che." Nyx spat on the ground, making him look at her weirdly. "You're not very lady-like, aren't you?"

"Screw that," she grumbled. "I gave up trying to be a princess a long time ago."

She heard a snort beside her. She whipped her head to look at Edward. "What? It was every girl's dream to be a princess! Don't judge me."

He cracked a smile. "It's really hard to imagine you in a dress and a tiara. Being the last time I saw you, you were wearing all black."

Nyx pursed her lips. "I like that color. And I could say the same thing to you."

"Black is the color of the dead."

She raised a curious eyebrow. "I thought it was white. You know—heaven and stuff. Red for hell."

Edward made a growling sound at the back of his throat. "That's just stereotypical. There is no heaven or hell. It's not scientific and can't be proven. Once you're dead, you stay dead. Once in a while, you might come back as a ghost. A spirit, some might call it. But you can only travel the along the paths that you've walked when you were alive."

He looked up at the sky, dusted with wisps of smoke and clouds. "There used to be a butcher's shop here. Along with a bakery and a local market. Look at it now."

Looking down at his hands, he continued. "I don't understand why some people can come back and some can't. We're all humans, and we're all equal. Nobody _really _has more power than someone else. But nowadays, and even back then, humans didn't grasp this concept. But then, why do some of us get a second chance to see the world and others can't?"

Nyx piped up. "Maybe it's the accomplishments and the way you lived life. You might've been a hero."

Edward contemplated this idea. "I wouldn't put it that way," he said, scratching his chin, "but it could be."

The girl shrugged. "I'm sure that there has to be a reason. I mean, I'm not the type to interact with the dead much, you'd have to ask Sabrina about them, and she's really into stuff like this. But since she can't see you…"

"Who can't I see?"

Edward and Nyx jumped at the sound of Sabrina's voice. She suddenly was sitting next to Nyx, smiling unnervingly. "What are you doing, Nyxie-poo-poo? You were talking to yourself the whole time."

Nyx stared at her. "'Nyxie-poo-poo'?!"

"Yes, Nyxie-poo-poo. Now answer my question, Nyxie-poo-poo."

"Mmph." Nyx made a grunting sound. "I was just spacing out."

She tilted her head back to look at Edward, and he shrugged, impassive. "I don't know. Don't look at me," he said.

Sabrina frowned. "No, no, no, we can't have that, can we? No spacing out from now on! You got that?"

Nyx laughed lightly. "But that's impossible to guarantee. You're so demanding, Sabrina!"

Edward smiled a little as well. It was good to be with somebody. It helped ease the loneliness, no, it chased it away. Plus, it was comical, watching Nyx and her friend argue back and forth animatedly.

Sabrina huffed. "Well, no matter. I got you some new clothes," she said, holding up a large Macy's bag.

Nyx pulled a face very much like Death the Kid's face whenever Excalibur was mentioned. "Yeeeaaah…okay. Thanks. Kill them with fire. Drown them. Dissect them with scissors."

Edward assumed that 'them' referred to the clothes and he was pretty sure that you couldn't kill them or drown them, much less dissect them.

He let his mind wander as the two continued to bicker. Daylight was fading and the punks who walked at night would come out soon. It was strange how this order worked. Humans were programmed to work and play during the day and go home when the sun winked them goodnight. Nowadays, it was flipped. They would prowl the streets like they owned them at night, when the shadows over took the city.

But the crime rate would increase at night—properties trashed, destroyed, and violated. And no one would know who was guilty.

That's where the police force kicks in. They protected the city day and night, but even they were not enough to maintain the city's wavering peace. They were, after all, humans too. They needed to sleep when the sun fell and the moon rose. That caused their brains to haywire, which led to an overdrive in attempt to stay awake. And that would tire them quicker than before, which makes them struggle more.

Humans, to put it simply, are persistent.

Edward chastised himself for judging humanity. After all, he was once a human, too.

He wondered if he still counted as a human if he was dead. No, he would be a _spirit. _A soul. An echo of his living counterpart, which was currently dormant, lying in a wooden box that was nailed shut, buried six feet in the earth.

But that lead to the question of whether if a soul was alive or dead. He was moving normally. He could smell, see, hear, and touch. Well, almost everything except humans and animals. Wait, scratch that. Humans _are _animals. Just more evolved. Wait, then wouldn't humans technically be considered as _aliens? _Ah, screw that! He was getting off topic.

"I'm telling you, I'm cancelling our date—no, you listen to me!"

Edward was snapped out of his thoughts at the sudden sharpness of Sabrina's voice. She seemed to arguing with someone over the phone. Her eyebrows were creased together, her mouth creasing into a deep frown.

"Wait, I'm with a friend, you can't meet me now—ARGH!"

She snapped her phone shut, quickly turning to Nyx, who was sitting quietly, not knowing what to say. "Sorry, sorry!" Sabrina said in a cheery voice that sounded forced. "I must take my leave here, I to do something…sorry, forgot…"

She shoved the enormous bag into Nyx's arms, ignoring her protests. "I'll see you at school tomorrow. Bye!"

She spun on her heels and walked briskly through the sea of people, leaving a baffled Nyx and almost-invisible Edward alone.

* * *

"What was that all about?" Edward piped up after a long, awkward silence us. We were currently walking home, no, correction. To _my _home. Why he was following me, I had no idea.

"Nothing, really," I answered. "And why the heck are you following me?"

"Oh, was I not supposed to?" he quipped. "I thought we were going back to my place. I was wondering why we were going the wrong way for fifteen minutes straight."

"No, I'm sure I know where my house is. And I _don't _need another freeloader, thank you very much."

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Freeloader, you say? That's kinda harsh."

His tone was light and casual, as if we were a normal couple, the boy walking the girl home like he was supposed to.

Except that the boy was invisible to everyone else. Literally.

"Fine. _Guest, _if that makes you happy," I said with a groan.

"Not particularly."

I facepalmed. "Then what word suits your taste, _Your Majesty?" _

He grinned. "Now _that, _I approve."

I gritted my teeth, regretting my impulsive choice of words immediately. "No, no, no! That slipped out on accident, forget I said anything."

He chuckled. "Then what was the snarky, exaggerated, heavily-emphasized tone leaning on those two words?"

"I said, _forget it!" _

He made a _tsk, tsk _noise. "Nu-uh," he said, waggling his finger. "What is said can't be un-said. And I don't forget easily, dead or alive."

I picked up my pace, wanting to get to the apartment faster. Man, he was pissing me off!

"Ne, ne, Nyx-chan, why are you hurrying so?" Edward chirped, catching up with me.

Something inside me snapped. "GOD DAMMIT, STOP FOLLOWING ME!" I yelled, whirling around. Several startled pedestrians threw a weird look at me before continuing on their way.

Ed smiled innocently. "Oh? Is Nyxie-poo-poo getting mad?" he asked before pretending to quake in mock fear. "Oh, pwease don't yell, Edwad-kwun is wewy scwaed of angwy Wyxie-poo-poo!" His eyes got all big, watery, and sad. Which looked pretty bad on him, considering that he was pretty fit and all, and you pretty much don't see muscular, tough-looking men pouting like a kid. Unless they were seriously macho enough to do so.

I felt my eye twitch involuntarily. Okay, he was pretty tall compared to me, but was probably below average for his age. I hated looking up, just to look at his eyes. Not that they captivated me or anything, but I felt that he was pretty important when he was alive and deserved some respect, even when he was dead. It was the least I could do.

But here he was, acting all immature and such. Just like a kid.

"Fine, fine." I sighed, relenting. "I'll let you follow me to the gates. But that's it. Do _not _follow me inside unless you want to be dead all over again."

He shrugged. "Fine with me," he said. "At least I get to know where you live!"

I felt my eye twitch again.

I kept at my fast pace steadily. The sooner I get home, the faster I can get away from the annoying, talk-your-ear-off leech.

But then I'd have to face that drunken bastard.

I was relieved when I turned the corner and found the familiar, worn-out sign that read _Minato Ward _on it. The rusted iron gates comforted me for some reason.

"So this is where you live? Pretty shabby living conditions," Edward pointed out.

"It's not like I can help it," I said coolly. "I didn't choose this place, our budget did."

As I said that, I kept my eyes on the ground. He _did _have a point. Minato Ward was a rundown, old apartment that had problems all over. Water leaks and rusted pipes. Broken air conditioning. Foundation problems. Pests.

I kept my back to him. My eyes stung a bit, but I attributed that from the cold autumn wind.

Truth is, I'm not sure when was the last time I cried. I wasn't like the other kids who teared up at every little thing—a cut, a bruise, a mosquito bite, a bee sting. No, it was going to take more than a few shallow injuries to make me cry.

I had a rocky past, but I learned to never dwell too much on the past and look forward to the future. I was also taught to enjoy "now". It's a gift, so that's why it's called the "present". You can't rewind time, so you have to enjoy and accept every little thing thrown at you. That's, in my perspective, life. Because even bad things can be rewarding at times.

I always knew it in my heart that it's not good to show weakness to others. I can't afford to look weak in front of looking eyes. It's always best to give the worst a big smile, a middle-finger salute, and not a crap. Because you don't deserve someone else's pity. Nobody does. It's only something that will bite back at you later.

Sure, it's okay to wallow in your sadness. It's okay to tell yourself that everything will be alright when it seems like it's not going to be. It's okay to let some positivity into your life. Chase away that negativity. Don't hurt yourself, because everything isn't as bad as it seems. You're living too, aren't you? You're the same as everyone else, yet you're different. You have your fair share of secrets, bad experiences, and sadness. You, like everyone, carry your own burdens. There are just some things that can't be helped. The darkness in your hearts can't be cured. You may feel like a puppet at times, and you may feel like the puppet master. You might feel that life…isn't worth living anymore.

But that's the way life is. It likes to jerk you around. It takes you to new heights and depths. It has its disappointments and its happiness. So you have to enjoy it to the full extent.

That's just how I grew up.

So as I stood in front of the school gates, the wind blowing with a cold sting to it, I felt Edward watching me. That's right, I told myself. He's here. A friend's here.

I turned around and smiled at him. "I guess I'll see you Saturday?" I asked.

He looked surprised for a moment, but he quickly found his own smile. "Yeah, you bet!" he said. He raised his hand in farewell, and I returned it.

I turned and walked through the rusty gates, leaving him smiling, his nonexistent shadow stretching under the setting sun.

Yes, see you this Saturday.

* * *

**So did ya catch the little Soul Eater reference there? Yeah, I know, it was kinda bad, but I **_**had **_**to put it there.**

**I'm sorry if Ed was a bit OOC in this chapter (and maybe the previous ones, too). I've been reading **_**waaay **_**too many Shizaya fanfics, and I guess Izaya's personality rubbed onto Edward. Gomenesai. I'm not sure if this makes me a bad author, but I know that you can't mix two character's personality together or else it'll make the story sound pretty bad.**

**I planned on making Nyx a tsundere, but for some reason, as I write on, it makes me feel like I'm making her into Shizu-chan. WHHHHHHYYY?! **


End file.
